Movie review: Carney’s musical Begin Again’ sounds the same notes as his previous film

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By Al AlexanderMore Content Now

Holland Sentinel

By Al AlexanderMore Content Now

Posted Jul. 3, 2014 at 4:22 PM

By Al AlexanderMore Content Now

Posted Jul. 3, 2014 at 4:22 PM

‘Once” was great; twice, not as nice. Therein lies the crux of the woes facing John Carney’s “Begin Again,” a musical so much like the filmmaker’s previous effort that it should have been called “Once, Again.” The scenery has changed, relocating from Dublin to New York, and instead of unknown musicians acting we get accomplished actors singing. But the plot is pretty much the same: Two lost, lonely people connecting through music and finding renewed meaning in their lives. Ho, hum.

While the sameness is a liability, there are rewards – if you’re willing to look for them. Chiefly, Keira Knightley, utterly believable as a spurned woman who’s all but given up on the dream of becoming a successful singer/songwriter. We knew Knightley could act, but the depth and breadth of her singing catches you by complete surprise. It’s not perfect, and it would be too slick if it was, but it’s warm and convincing, especially wrapped around the instantly catchy tunes written by Carney and a handful of collaborators, including Glen Hansard, who won an Oscar for co-writing “Falling Slowly,” the signature tune from “Once.”

For the first time in years, there’s also rhythm in Knightley’s acting, delivering her best work since “Pride & Prejudice” as Gretta, a smart and sassy Brit who’s had it with America, the land of superficiality. Gretta is a purest. No gimmicks; no pretense; no fuss. Just the music. Which is the exact opposite of her two-timing ex, Dave (“The Voice’s” Adam Levine basically playing himself), an overnight sensation who deals exclusively in bombast and smarminess.

They were once equal partners, writing and singing songs together. But once Dave struck it big, Gretta was instantly reduced to flunky status, meaning her primary function was fetching Starbucks for Dave and his entourage.

That is until she finally summoned the courage to split and seek shelter in the flea-bag flat inhabited by her schlumpy best friend, Steve (Tony-winner James Corden, excellent as always). But with zero job prospects and even less hope, it might be best to finally call it quits.

In other words, it’s time for fate – and a cheesy movie script – to intervene. With less than 24 hours until Gretta is slated to board a plane back to London, HE, drunk and disheveled, staggers into her life. Not just any HE, mind you, but a HE with the sad, sexy eyes of Mark Ruffalo.

But it’s not his peepers that are about to save her; it’s his ears – and imagination. In the movie’s most indelible scene, Ruffalo’s washed-up music exec, Dan, enters a Manhattan dive for the whiskey he craves and gets exactly what he needs in the intoxicating voice emanating from the stage. It’s Gretta, of course, performing a farewell tune on her acoustic guitar. And, per usual, everyone is ignoring her.

Page 2 of 2 - Not Dan, he’s not only hearing her voice; he’s mixing it in his head with an assortment of strings and drums, all seen – in a neat bit of movie trickery – played by what looks like an invisible band of ghosts.

Now if he can just get his former partner, Saul (Yasiin Bey, aka Mos Def) to hear it the way he hears it, Dan soon could be on top again, maybe even win back his estranged wife (a wasted Catherine Keener) and wayward daughter (Hailee Steinfeld despicably forced to dress like a hooker).

To that end, Dan comes up with the idea of recording Gretta’s album live on the streets of New York City, accompanied by a makeshift band assembled through calling in favors and promises of back-end deals.

Like “Once,” “Begin Again” soars whenever there’s singing and stumbles when making half-hearted stabs at romance. Part of that is because Ruffalo and Knightley don’t share enough chemistry to sell the notion of mutual attraction. It’s a hindrance, as is Carney’s insistence on both jumping back and forth in time and providing multiple perspectives (“Rashomon” style) of events. It’s so schizophrenic, it’s like listening to a discombobulated speed freak recalling his life story.

But in haphazardly mixing narrative styles, Carney cannot create enough of a diversion to disguise the fact that “Begin Again” is merely another “Once.”

The temptation for Carney to repeat himself, especially after “Once” garnered multiple awards and evolved into a smash Broadway hit, is understandable. But he can’t keep doing it if he hopes to survive. I, for one, would love to see him try something without using music as a crutch. To accomplish that, he’ll need to start over, which for him would mean the exact opposite of “Begin Again.”